1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a virtual architecture experience method and apparatus, which can provide images with high reality in correspondence with the requirements of a user.
2. Related Background Art
As a virtual space presentation apparatus with which a user can see a virtual space stored as data in a computer in accordance with the movement of his or her line of sight as he or she observes a real object, various types of apparatuses such as EyePhones (available from VPL Research Inc.) and the like have been developed. Applications of such technique to the housing industry have been examined. For example, a xe2x80x9cVirtual Kitchenxe2x80x9d system developed by Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. allows a customer to virtually experience the interior of a room and system kitchen provided by the manufacturer, and is used as an instrument of sales promotion.
However, the above-mentioned prior art techniques do not consider a framework that can easily create a virtual space with high reality, and creating the virtual space requires much labor. Accordingly, the existing systems allow users only to experience virtual spaces provided by information providers. As a consequence, it is difficult to easily create a virtual space in an existing architecture owned by a customer like in re-form simulation of an architecture and to allow the customer to interactively experience the virtual space by means of reflections with high reality.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a virtual architecture experience method and apparatus, which can solve the above-mentioned problems, and allow a user to easily create a virtual space of an architecture and to virtually experience the created virtual space.
In order to achieve the above object, a virtual architecture experience method of the present invention comprises: the virtual space generation step of generating virtual space data of an architecture on the basis of an instruction of an operator; and the virtual space display step of displaying the virtual space data generated in the virtual space generation step on the basis of an instruction of the operator.
Also, in order to achieve the above object, a virtual architecture experience apparatus of the present invention comprises: virtual space generation means for generating virtual space data of an architecture on the basis of an instruction of an operator; and virtual space display means for displaying the virtual space data generated by the virtual space generation means on the basis of an instruction of the operator.